As the first local students earn associate degrees through a new California Community Colleges to California State University transfer program, the number earning the fast-track degrees statewide has more than doubled.

The program, first introduced on a state level in 2010, has been dubbed “A Degree with a Guarantee,” and students in the California Community Colleges system can obtain associate degrees specifically for transfer to certain majors within a California State University.

“What it does do is provide a framework to plan the most efficient route and shortest route to a four year degree,” Humboldt State University Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Jen? Burges said.

In 2012-2013 — the first academic year these transfer degrees were available — 5,367 degrees were awarded to California community college students, and in 2013-2014 that number rose to 11,673, according to a CSU press release.

College of the Redwoods is now offering associate degrees for transfer. In spring 2015, the CR students from this program are signed up to transfer to Humboldt State University, Burges said.

In fall 2014, HSU admitted 274 students who self reported earning an associate degree for transfer, Burges said. Of those students, 31 were eligible for the guaranteed degree.

Burges said because the initiative is just hitting its stride there are still elements to work out, and some students think they are pursuing an associate for transfer but have not signed up correctly.

College of the Redwoods now offers an associate in science in early childhood education for transfer, associate in science in mathematics for transfer, associate in arts in psychology for transfer and associate in arts in studio arts for transfer, according to the 2013-2014 College of the Redwoods catalog.

“They have chosen some really good ones,” Burges said. “Programs that really need students to start on their majors before they arrive.”

The transfer program is beneficial for the CSU system because it allows students to be more prepared for the majors they are transferring into, she said.

“It improves the alignment in the curricula,” she said. “Typically, a lot of students will tend to take a lot of general education and not take a lot of courses in the major.”

The new program allows them to start on major courses early on and know that they will count toward their four-year degree at a university, she said.

“In the past, we have found in some programs, students kind of try to guess what courses they ought to be taking,” she said.

When students complete an associate degree for transfer, not only are they more prepared for the major, but they are also guaranteed priority admission to a CSU and only need 60 more semester units to obtain a bachelors degree, according to the CSU press release.

“The thousands of students who are earning an Associate Degree for Transfer are choosing an excellent path of academic preparation for completing the corresponding baccalaureate programs at CSU campuses,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White in the press release. “Serving transfer students is a critical part of the university’s mission, and we will continue to work with our community college partners to ensure that current community college students and high school seniors are aware of this fast-track to degree completion.”